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Hundreds of Australian actors began in TV by working on shows produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, which he founded in 1959 and has now morphed into FremantleMedia.

Among the shows Grundy was responsible for bringing to the small screen were Division 4, Matlock Police, The Restless Years, The Young Doctors, Prisoner, Sons And Daughters andthe jewel in the crown, Neighbours.

“The word “Grundy” is synonymous with game shows through the ages,” TODAY’s entertainment editor Richard Wilkins said this morning.

“Such a classy, elegant and dignified man.”

Grundy lived in Bermuda with his Queensland-born wife, the actress and author Joy Chambers, and remained a private figure who rarely gave interviews.

The couple married in 1972.

Throughout his time running the Reg Grundy Organisation Grundy controlled and owned all the shows he produced.

“I had probably 3000 people working for me at the highlight of my career, and I loved them, I think they loved me too," Grundy said at the launch of his biography in 2010.

He wanted it known how he and his team led Australia "out into the world" by showing Europe how to make TV shows economically and quickly.

"This is a pretty important part of my story because we thought we were as good or better than the people making programs in those countries, and we really did educate Europe," he said.

Reg Grundy receives the Order of Australia Companion in the General Division from Governor-General Major General Michael Jeffery pose at Government House, Canberra in 2008 (AAP)

Grundy was also well known because his name became part of Australian slang.

It was quite common in the 1980s and 1990s for Australians to refer to their underwear as "Reggies" or "Grundies".

Chambers once said he was proud his name had become part of the Aussie vernacular.

Grundy is survived by wife Joy and Kim Grundy, his daughter from his first marriage to Lola Powell.